Loyal to Me
by Aqua
Summary: ON HIATUS Yuusuke and Koenma must perform a 'bonding ceremony' in order to continue their Reikai Tentai relationship....


Loyal to Me

Chapter 1

Koenma gulped as his door slammed open, a cloaked figure entering. Slanted eyes set in a deep green face pinned him in place. He felt the urge to run, but was shaking so badly that his body refused to move.

"Rine, what brings you here?" he stammered, wincing when his voice shook. It was bad enough to sound like a child. Worse to sound like a terrified one.

Rine was his father's personal advisor. He also dealt with the 'little things' which Enma had no time for. That included dealing with his son. Usually, he only saw Rine when he'd done something to infuriate his father when the deity himself was unable to administer punishment for him. If Koenma was getting a visit from Rine, it was never a good thing.

"Your father is displeased," Rine stated.

/What else is knew/ Koenma thought to himself. "About what?" he asked out loud, confused. As far as he knew, he hadn't done anything wrong since the last time his father had punished him.

"Your Reikai Tentai team," Rine stated.

"Eh?" Koenma exclaimed, startled. "Yuusuke and the others have worked for me for a year, and now he has a problem?"

"He has been waiting to see if the problem would be fixed without his interference. However, now it doesn't seem likely. You've been putting it off too long," Rine stated.

As usual, Koenma found himself getting defensive. "My Reikai Tentai team is the best that has ever been. They have saved the Ningenkai again and again. Not even Enma can say there is a problem with them," he stated firmly.

Rine arched an eyebrow at his tone, but Koenma refused to back down this time. The Urameshi team was his pride and joy. Luckily, if Rine noticed his disrespect toward his father's name (Enma instead of Enma-sama, as one does not call the Lord of Dead Spirits by Daddy), he didn't mention anything.

"It is not the team itself, but your manner of handling them," Rine stated.

Koenma faltered, then straightened his spine. "There hasn't been a Reikai team for almost one hundred years. How can you know whether or not I'm handling them properly?" he demanded. After all, this man was second to him, even if he influenced some of Enma's decisions.

"Koenma, surely you know the proper ceremony behind acquiring a Reikai Tentai into your service?" Rine questioned, his tone turning dark.

As he knew anyway, Koenma couldn't deny it. To hire Yuusuke as his Tentai without knowing such a thing would land him in more trouble than not doing the ceremony in the first place. "Of course I do. It's just that... ano... I'm too young! Surely, you can't expect me to perform such a ceremony like this," he exclaimed, blushing as he motioned to his chibified form.

Rine pinned him with a scowl. "Without that ceremony, Urameshi and the others are no more your Reikai Tentai than those brainless oni outside. Unless you remedy this situation, the Tentai team will be disbanded. There will be no excuses. This is an order from your father," he stated firmly.

Pouting, Koenma watched as Rine spun around and left his office, Botan slipping in quickly before the door shut. "Koenma-sama, why was Rine here?" she asked, skidding to a stop in front of his desk.

Sighing, Koenma looked away. "I've got no other choice but to fire Yuusuke," he stated.

Botan gasped, having gotten used to being around the ningen. The two of them had grown into good friends since his death. "Why do you have to dismiss him? Isn't he doing a great job? I always found his ability to be remarkable. You can't just fire him!"

"I don't have a choice," Koenma interrupted, wincing at her angry tone.

"Of course you have a choice. Yuusuke might complain, but he enjoys the thrill of battle. He's the most powerful being short of a God that we've ever known," Botan continued.

"My father wants me to claim him as a Tentai," Koenma stated.

All at once, Botan's mouth snapped shut and she blushed scarlet. "It'd forgotten about that part. Enma-sama finally realized?" she asked.

Feeling his own cheeks heat again, Koenma nodded. He and Botan had spoken about this when Yuusuke was first recruited. They would pretend that the ceremony didn't exist. After all, child form or adult, it was a bonding ceremony between a God and his Protector. And he didn't think that Yuusuke would want to have sex with him.

"It will be sad to have him leave. To have all of them leave. Without Yuusuke to lead them, there is no Reikai Tentai," Botan said sadly.

Koenma winced slightly, recalling the continuous threats to the Ningenkai recently. It looked like he would have to rely on assassins-for-hire again, and hope they could do the job. Of course, they would be sorely lacking in ability after having Yuusuke. Such assassins were not necessarily good at fighting, and often lost in the face of real danger.

Botan seemed to be able to read his thoughts. "Who do Gods prey to, Koenma-sama?" she asked.

Chapter 2

"We're fired?" Yuusuke shouted, shock written all over his face.

"After all that we've done for you, you fire us?" Kuwabara added.

"You volunteered, remember?" Koenma stated with a scowl at the orange-haired youth.

"Koenma, what about us? Working as your Tentai was part of our parole agreement," Kurama pointed out.

Koenma waved his hand. He was in his grown form for this occasion. "Your parole was for a few years. However, given the dangers you have faced in the past year, I believe that you have served long enough. Both you and Hiei are free once again, although we will be checking in every few months," he stated.

"There has to be a reason," Yuusuke yelled. "As much as I would love to never have to put my ass on the line again, it seems cheap if you won't even give me a reason!"

Koenma hesitated. Unfortunately, it didn't go unnoticed. "The truth, old man," Hiei stated from the corner of the office.

"I didn't think you would care about the reason," Koenma commented.

"Quit stalling, Koenma. I've worked for you for the last year. You could at least tell me why," Yuusuke stated.

Koenma turned away, still reluctant. He wasn't going to lie, but it was still embarrassing. "My father has ordered it. For me to keep you as my Tentai, a bonding ceremony must take place. It was supposed to happen at the beginning, to create a strong bond between us. It is necessary, but I was hesitant. Now, my father has given the order that the ceremony must take place or your immediate dismissal instead."

The reaction, had it been any other circumstances, would of been funny. Kurama stifled his laughter after recovering from his initial shock. Hiei's expression remained removed, but he did raise an eyebrow and snort. As the resident demons, they knew what a 'bonding ceremony' was. Yuusuke and Kuwabara, on the other hand, blinked with confused expressions.

"Why don't we just have the ceremony then?" Yuusuke questioned.

"Because, you moron, that would mean you would have to have sex with Koenma," Hiei stated bluntly.

Koenma blushed, but nodded. "A bonding ceremony between a God and his chosen Tentai would mean you would have to physically, as well as mentally, claim me as your own. Just as I would be claiming you. It is a merging of souls."

Yuusuke had gone pale and looked like he would pass out at any moment. Kuwabara's face was a shade of green that horribly matched his hair. Koenma wasn't surprised to see Kurama and Hiei calmly digest the information, although he did have to look twice when the kitsune gave Hiei what was most definitely a provocative look. Well, it seemed there were some things about his Tentai he didn't know after all.

"Well, that's about it. Botan will visit tomorrow to retrieve the things which we've lent you. The four of you are official off duty as of now," Koenma stated.

He watched as each of them said goodbye, or grunted at him, before leaving the room. Once the door was shut, he fell heavily into his chair. He reverted back into his child form with a small bounce on the seat.

Botan and George came into the office only a few moments later, both looking sad. "I guess that is that," Botan said quietly.

Abruptly, Koenma felt himself burst into tears. Giving into the temptation of being a child, he threw a tantrum, screaming and kicking and sobbing. He'd never get to see Yuusuke and the others again. They had been the best friends he'd ever had, even if they did work for him. Now they were gone.

It took almost three hours for Botan and George to calm him down enough for him to fall into a restless sleep.

Chapter 3

"Okay, Yuusuke, I want you to know that I haven't bought your excuse in the least. What's bothering you?" Kurama questioned.

Yuusuke grimaced. "That obvious, huh?" he replied. He'd thought that he'd done pretty good in hiding his upset. With no one else he could really turn to with this problem, he'd come to Kurama under the pretense of needing help with his homework. He had to admit that it was a flimsy excuse.

Kurama set their books to the side. "So, what is it? Still upset over being fired yesterday?" he asked.

Yuusuke sighed, shaking his head. "For all of my complaining, I liked working for him. It felt like I was achieving something. Every battle was amazing, a victory that drove me on. Koenma and Botan literally gave me a reason to live," he explained.

"It does seem rather unbelievable, doesn't it?" Kurama said quietly.

Yuusuke fell onto his back, looking up at the ceiling. "The thing is, I'd almost be willing to go through with that stupid ceremony, if it meant having my real life back."

Kurama's eyes went wide. Yuusuke felt his cheeks go red and he cursed, glaring at the ceiling. "You should probably be talking to Keiko about this. It would affect her more than me," the kitsune commented.

"And how am I supposed to talk to her about this? 'Um, Keiko, your a great girlfriend and everything, but I'm seriously considering sleeping with Koenma. Yeah, I know he looks like a baby most of the time, but his grown form is pretty damned good looking. Seriously, I'll think of you the entire time!' Man, I haven't even gone close to that far with anyone, muchless the son of the Reikai ruler!" was Yuusuke's sarcastic reply.

"Are you attracted to him? That would be an important factor," Kurama pointed out, ignoring the sarcasm.

"Hell, I don't even know," Yuusuke replied, ignoring the images that sprang to mind. Although, the truth was that, if it hadn't been for the intense dreams he'd had last night, he wouldn't even be considering this. He'd never dreamed about a guy before. Well, okay, maybe once, but it had never been that intense. He'd woken, shocked, gasping, hard, with Koenma's name on his lips. He'd been disgusted and ashamed of himself at the time. However, it had been impossible to get the thought out of his mind.

"How do you know if you're attracted to a guy?" he questioned.

"What makes you think I would know?" Kurama asked, looking insulted.

Yuusuke couldn't help but start laughing at the remark. He laughed even harder when Kurama scowled at him. "Come on, Kurama! Even if it wasn't for Hiei, it would still be rather obvious!"

"Well," Kurama started, then sighed. "And I thought we were doing a good job of keeping it a secret."

"With Hiei, it is hard to tell. You, on the other hand, light up when he enters the room. Plus, you get this look in your eyes when you talk about him. Kind of dreamy," Yuusuke teased.

Kurama's cheeks were pink and he looked like he was pouting. "I'm a five hundred year old youko! I don't get 'kind of dreamy' over anyone," he stated. Yes, most definitely pouting.

"So, how did you know that you were attracted to Hiei?" Yuusuke asked, veering the subject back to where it was supposed to be.

Kurama turned thoughtful, frowning a little. "I don't really know. Given my history as a youko, I probably have a different outlook on it than you do. As a youko, the gender didn't matter. Nor did emotion. I simply found someone attractive and proceeded to sleep with them. My perspective is different now that I've lived as a human, but I still think it's vastly different from the view of a regular one."

Yuusuke laughed slightly. "I guess you're right. I just wish I knew what to do. I mean, I never thought that I would even consider it. Now that I am, I have no idea what to do," he said.

"Well, do you know for sure that you could do anything? I mean, just thinking about it is easy. But if you were actually going to take part in the bonding ceremony, would you? It only works if both parties are willing," Kurama stated.

When Yuusuke remained silent, Kurama got to his feet and walked over to the window. He was surprised when the red-head asked Hiei to join them. He'd been so distracted, he hadn't even noticed the fire demon close by.

"What do you want, fox?" Hiei asked as he entered, pausing on the sill.

Kurama motioned him farther into the room. "I need you to help me for a moment," he said.

Weary of the look on Kurama's face, Hiei stepped forward reluctantly, looking at Yuusuke. "Help you with what?" he questioned.

Yuusuke eyes bugged out of his head and he almost choked on his breath when Kurama suddenly scooped the Koorime into his arms and crushed their mouths together. Hiei's reaction would of been hilarious if Yuusuke wasn't presently having a heart attack. It appeared as if Hiei was as well, his eyes wide and an expression of pure shock on his face.

Unable to look away, Yuusuke watched in astonishment as Hiei have a few feeble struggles before returning the kiss, his eyes slipping shut as his body melted against Kurama's. He saw their tongues battling, visible when their lips parted at brief intervals. Hiei's hands gripped Kurama's hair tight enough to turn his knuckles white. Kurama's hands, on the other hand, were presently exploring Hiei's back and chest.

Finally, they broke away with a gasp, both short of breath. Hiei recovered quickly, jerking away and snarling. "What the hell was that for?" he hissed, his tone threatening.

Kurama smiled cheerfully before turning to Yuusuke. "Are you totally disgusted?" he questioned.

Yuusuke felt his face flame, and it took conscious effort not to bring his hands across his lap. He doubted it was actually noticeable, but he could no longer deny the fact that, to his body at least, the sight had been far from disgusting.

Looking everywhere but at them, Yuusuke shrugged. "If I wasn't?" he questioned.

Kurama flashed a wide grin, but it was Hiei who replied. "If you want to fuck Koenma then do it!" he declared.

"Ah, but Koenma has to take the dominant position, remember?" Kurama reminded him.

Hiei frowned at this. "You told me that it didn't matter," he stated.

Kurama suddenly looked nervous. "Um, for us it didn't. But when it involves a master/servant situation, the master must stake dominant claim," he stammered.

Hiei continued to look suspicious and Kurama suddenly had a coughing fit. Realizing the change of atmosphere, Yuusuke quickly excused himself and gathered his books before racing from the room. Kurama yelled goodbye after him, but was interrupted by Hiei declaring that he was going to claim his dominance in the relationship once and for all.

Really, it was way more than Yuusuke had ever wanted to know about the two of them.

Chapter 4

When he arrived home, his mother was gone. Probably out at some nightclub or bar, knowing her. Sighing, still not any closer to figuring out an answer to his problem, Yuusuke made his way up to his bedroom.

Only to be assaulted the second he opened the door by a figure with familiar blue hair and a pink kimono.

"Hey, Botan," he said, returning her enthusiastic hug.

She smiled at him brightly, although her eyes were sad. "I'm glad I have an excuse to come and see you. A chance to say goodbye," she said.

"Goodbye? You mean that you can't even come visit?" Yuusuke questioned.

Botan shook her head. "The Reikai Tentai are the only beings permitted to move freely between the worlds. Even I am not allowed such access, when I am not spiriting souls. Once your position has been permanently revoked, I will be completely invisible to you until your death," she explained.

Disappointed, Yuusuke looked to the floor. A sudden realization made his head snap up. "What about Hiei and Kurama, Yukina and Kuwabara then? If I understand what you are saying, Hiei and Yukina will be forced to remain in the Makai, while Kurama and Kuwabara will have to stay here."

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Although none of them are official Reikai Tentai, they had been hired to help you. Now we have no choice in what to do with them," she replied softly.

"That isn't fair," Yuusuke exclaimed.

"I know," Botan said sadly, "but the rules cannot be broken."

Yuusuke shook his head, making his way toward his bed and sitting down heavily. There were many reasons why he should or should not, but this could easily tip the scale. Yuusuke didn't have much he treasured, but friends were the most important thing to him. He would do anything for them.

But could he do this? Could he sleep with Koenma in order to keep his friends together?

Yuusuke bit his lip, recalling the passionate kiss he'd witnessed earlier. He had to admit that it was hard to imagine Hiei actually caring about anyone, but it had been evident at that time as clearly as the Jagan on his forehead.

When he thought about it like that, his choice was obvious. Kuwabara and Yukina were just beginning to explore a tentative relationship, and Yuusuke shuddered to think of Hiei's reaction to being taken away from Kurama. Who was he to be the one to keep them apart? Although he wouldn't be directly at fault, his own decision would keep the two couples separated permanently.

Suddenly realizing that Botan had been waiting for him to say something, probably in response to a question she had asked him. Laughing, uncomfortable, he asked her to repeat the question.

"Oh, I didn't ask anything. I was just saying that both myself and Koenma will miss you terribly. He threw a tantrum last night, and didn't sleep well. I think it will be a while before his mood is tolerable," she said with a laugh.

Yuusuke felt his lips quirk. He could just imagine Koenma pouting. In his child form, of course. Yuusuke had rarely seen him not.

"Hey, Botan," he said quietly, gaining her attention once again. "Is Koenma opposed to the idea of the ceremony? Or did he simply think that I would?"

Botan blinked, then rubbed the back of her head. "Actually, I don't know. We spoke briefly about it in the past, but he only ever mentioned your part of it. He never told me about what his actual view is," she replied.

Yuusuke was silent for a long moment, then took a deep breath.

Now or never.

"Botan, can you tell him that, if he is willing, I'm also willing. For the ceremony," he burst out.

Botan's jaw dropped. Then, surprising him, she smiled brightly. "I'll ask him now!" she declared, summoning her oar and almost falling off of it in her haste. However, she paused at the window and turned toward him. "Are you sure, Yuusuke? The bonding ceremony is permanent. Once you've gone through with it, there is no turning back."

Before he had the chance to reconsider, Yuusuke shook his head. "Go and ask him. If he agrees, we should do it tonight before I lose my nerve," he stated firmly.

With a nod and another smile, Botan was gone. Yuusuke let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding before making his way downstairs. He knew he couldn't put it off.

He had to call Keiko.

Chapter 5

Keiko hung up the phone automatically, her mind miles away. Her mother walked past her and smiled. "Who was on the phone?" she asked.

"Just Yuusuke," Keiko replied absently. "I'm going up to my room now. Goodnight."

Not noticing her mother's concerned look, the young girl went up to her room and shut the door behind her.

She didn't know if she should be upset or not. After all, her boyfriend was about to have sex with a man. Not just any man, but the Prince of the Dead. And it wouldn't be simple sex, but a ceremony which would bond the two together forever. She wasn't sure exactly what that entailed, if it meant a permanent relationship or simply Yuusuke remaining as Koenma's Tentai forever. She doubted even Yuusuke knew for sure. 

She loved Yuusuke. She could admit that now, after such a long time together with him. It hurt to think that she could lose him like this, to a situation both he and Koenma had been forced into. Yet, at the same time, she was reminded of the fact that Yuusuke had reached the decision on his own. That simple detail pressed heavily on her mind.

Well, whatever the outcome, she could do nothing to stop it.

Chapter 6

Koenma checked his appearance in the mirror for the thousandth time, then paused and took a deep breath. He was being ridiculous. His appearance wouldn't matter for this situation. It was necessary, no matter how he looked. Of course, he had changed to his teenage form. Even if he was more comfortable in his baby form, he knew Yuusuke wouldn't come close to him like that.

He hadn't been able to get his mind off of this... union. Sure, he'd had lovers before. Just because he was the prince of the Reikai didn't mean he led a lonely life. He'd had many companions, admitably of different genders and of many different species. Not often, but often enough that he knew his way around the body of a lover.

Still, the particular situation had left him completely rattled. He didn't know what to think or what to do, or how to go about... what he needed to go about. Yuusuke was attractive enough as human beings went, but he was still someone that Koenma had thought of as a friend and desiple for over a year now. Also, this was more than just meaningless sex. This was a 'connection' between the two of them.

Koenma closed his eyes, feeling his body shudder slightly. Yuusuke would be arriving at any moment. He fought the urge to change his clothing into something more formal. They wouldn't be on his body for much longer anyway.

Everything had already been prepared as was needed. Although he was certain Yuusuke would either not notice, or think it was stupid, candles had been laid out around the room. Although it was a joining purely out of necessity, Koenma was going to make sure Yuusuke found it pleasant. The candles had a slight aphrodisiac effect.

Maybe that why he was so jumpy? 

Snorting, Koenma forced himself to stop racing around, both physical and mentally. Yuusuke would come, they would do what they had to, Yuusuke would leave, and life would continue on as it always had. There was absolutely no reason to be so uptight and nervous. 

Someone knocked on his door and Koenma almost jumped a good three feet into the air. Taking a soothing breath, and making sure his appearance was suitable, the young prince made his way to the door and opened it widely.

Botan and Yuusuke, who was looking everywhere but at him, stood there. Both had red faces, although Koenma was certain his was redder than both. "Um, come on in," he said, uncertain of what else to say.

Yuusuke entered slowly, while Botan bowed her head. "I'll see you tomorrow, Koenma-sama, Yuusuke," she said, then hesitated slightly. "I'm glad you decided to go through with the ceremony, even though it's obvious how difficult it will be for you. I didn't want to lose one of my good friends," she admitted, smiling at both of them before turning and heading down the hall.

"I think that about sums it up, doesn't it?" Yuusuke commented with a sigh. "All of this is simply so we can remain together as friends." 

Koenma was honestly surprised. "I'm honored that you think of me as a friend," he admitted. He'd always thought that Yuusuke considered him to be his boss, and an annoyance.

"Yeah, well," Yuusuke started, then fell silent as his cheeks began to redden again. "Can we just get this over with already?" 

Koenma smiled for the first time since this whole mess had started. "No beating around the bush, I see. Good, I wouldn' t mind getting this over with as soon as possible. No offense to you, but I've probably got a mountain of paperwork to go through by now," he said, laughing slightly to let Yuusuke know he was teasing.

The youth smiled back and for a moment Koenma felt something strange inside of him. However, in a moment it was gone and he was back to worrying about the situation. It was time, as Yuusuke had put it, to get this over with.

Chapter 7

"All right, we'll get started. Take off your clothes," he instructed, reaching down to undo his own sash.

Yuusuke nodded and, with both of them trying their best to avoid looking at each other, they stripped down until they were both nude. "Okay, we don't just... well, just, you know. As I said, this is actually a ceremony so there are certain parts of it that must be done that aren't physical. I need you to lay down on the bed," Koenma stated.

"No problem," Yuusuke said, his voice cracking a little.

Koenma walked over to him, and both of them tensed as he sat on the edge of the bed. Reaching to the bedside table, Koenma picked up a small vial. It was filled with a scripting ink that would wash off, yet the spell cast with it would remain even once the scripted words were gone. Unscrewing the cap, he placed two of his fingers into the cool liquid.

"Close your eyes," he said, his voice a bare whisper.

Yuusuke hesitated a moment, then nodded and followed the command. Koenma took a final calming breath before he began, starting on Yuusuke's forehead, writing the appropriate symbols as he spoke.

"I am the Prince of the Spiritual World. I bind you to me, as my protector and protected. A spiritual being who serves me as my slave and rules me as my master. We will be joined together. Our union of souls will bind us forever," he whispered as he traced the words down Yuusuke's forehead and onto his chest.

Once he was finished, Koenma placed the jar on the table and motioned for Yuusuke to stand. "Now, you replace the my title with your own, and write the same script onto my body," he instructed as he lay down on the bed where Yuusuke had been.

The black haired youth met his eyes for a long moment then, with a shaking hand, complied. "I am the Reikai Tentai of the Spiritual World. I bind you to me, as my protector and protected. A spiritual being who serves me as my slave and rules me as my master. We will be joined together. Our union of souls will bind us forever," he said slowly.

Koenma felt his skin burn where the ink touched him as the spell was cast, the rest of his skin prickling from the chill in the room. Once Yuusuke was done, his mind suddenly went blank. That was the spiritual union of the ceremony. Now all that remained was the physical union. For a moment, he couldn't bring himself to move or to speak.

Then, slowly, Koenma reached up and began to pull Yuusuke toward him. The youth resisted slightly at first, then brought their faces together for the last few inches. Koenma's breath caught in his throat as they kissed, oh so gently.

Perhaps... perhaps this wasn't so bad after all.

Chapter 8

Yuusuke threw himself against the wall of the school with a sigh. He didn't care if Keiko stripped his skin right off of his body, he had to get out of that class. It felt as though everyone was staring at him. Of course, if his friends hadn't been staring at him for the last week whenever they spoke, he probably wouldn't feel that way.

It had been a week since the bonding ceremony. Despite his fears, everything had returned to normal after that one night. There didn't appear to be any tension between himself and Koenma, as he'd thought there would be.

The only change had been his friends behavior. Kurama, especially, always seemed to be waiting for something. It was making Yuusuke feel as though he were underneath a microscope, being inspected. They just had to realize that it had happened, nothing had changed, and life could go back to normal.

Well...

Yuusuke groaned and closed his eyes, hitting his head against the wall of the school a few times. There was one thing that was bothering him. During the day, he pretended that it wasn't there, pushed the thoughts to the farthest part of the back of his mind. During the nights, however, when he couldn't consciously control his thoughts...

He couldn't get it out of his mind.

The heat and tenderness in Koenma's golden eyes. The feel of soft hands and lips against his flesh. Most of the night was just a blur of sensations, feelings that Yuusuke had never experienced in his life before. He'd been afraid of having to be the one to submit, had thought he would be disgusted by it. However, as the night had progressed, it had seemed like a natural thing. It was as though they'd flowed through all the motions and movements, and even that crucial part had been painless and pleasurable.

Ever since, Yuusuke's dreams had been haunted.

He'd almost cried yesterday, when he'd awoken. He loved Keiko, wanted to marry her and have a family with her. So why couldn't he stop thinking about Koenma? Why, when he spoke with the demi-God, did he long to see the older form, long to see the delicate build and full lips and sensual golden eyes?

It was becoming too much. Every day, he wanted to see Koenma more and more. He tried to keep it hidden deep inside, but it was pushing toward the surface, gaining inches each and every day. An ache had appeared in his chest, as though his body were physically missing the other's presence.

He had to do something!

Chapter 9

"What exactly is a bonding ceremony?" Yuusuke demanded, having cornered Kurama. The other youth was on his way home from school, and was presently alone.

Kurama looked startled. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Yuusuke closed his eyes as another wave of longing ran through him. "I thought it was just supposed to allow me to be his Reikai Tentai. Something else happened, though. You've done a bonding ceremony. Tell me what it does!" he all but yelled.

The red head sighed and motioned for him to follow. "My mother will be out today. I can tell you what you need to know," he said.

Yuusuke followed him, trying not to complain at the slow pace which they were walking at. He had run out of patience. He'd been trying for days to think of something other than Koenma and his new problem. However, the more he tried to forget, the more insistent his thoughts became. He had no moments of peace.

It actually didn't take them long to reach Kurama's house. Yuusuke sat down across from Kurama at the kitchen table. "No more putting this off, Kurama. I can't seem to stop thinking about what happened that night. I can't get Koenma out of my head. Please, I need to know," he finally said.

Kurama sighed and sat across from him. "I wasn't sure if the bonding ceremony between you and Koenma was the same type that I performed with Hiei. However, judging by your behavior, it was. I think that Koenma was hoping it was different as well, although I'm certain he knew that it wouldn't be," he said quietly.

Yuusuke nodded as he took in the information, waiting for Kurama to tell him more.

"The bonding ceremony is kind of like getting married. You exchange vows in a celebration of each other for a spiritual bond, then join bodies in a physical bond. It can only be performed correctly by demons or people with very high spiritual energy, because it requires a lot of the person's power in order to accomplish it. However, it is not very commonly done, because it permanently brings two people together," Kurama continued.

"Permanently?" Yuusuke echoed, feeling himself go pale.

Kurama closed his eyes and nodded, a solemn expression on his face. "There are some who have been able to overpower the bonding, but those are very few. The power behind a bonding makes it so that being apart is... disturbing or saddening. It makes them want to be with that person. If the separation is for too long, the bonding can actually cause physical pain that will only lessen by being with that person."

Well, that explained why his chest felt as though it were on fire. "About how long can a bonded pair stay away from each other?" Yuusuke questioned.

"About a week, depending on how strong the bond is. The more feeling that you put into the bond when it was performed, the stronger it will be," Kurama said, a guilty expression on his face. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you all of this before you performed the ceremony. I didn't realize until after that you hadn't known."

"Well, at least that explains why you and Hiei have been acting so strange around me," Yuusuke said with a sigh.

Kurama gave him a wide smile. "Well, at least you've been able to last this long!" he stated.

Yuusuke couldn't help but grin. "I think, because we were forced into the situation, we didn't put as much emotion behind it as we would of otherwise," he admitted.

"Four days is the maximum between myself and Hiei," Kurama admitted, blushing slightly.

Yuusuke nodded and got to his feet. "Thank you for telling me all of this," he said, making his way over to the door.

"Where are you going now?" Kurama questioned.

"Where else? I have to see Koenma," Yuusuke replied.

Chapter 10

When Yuusuke appeared in the office of the Reikai, the pain in his chest lessened enough that he was able to breathe freely. Quickly, Yuusuke made his way toward Koenma's office. With each step, the pain began to disappear.

Botan spotted him, on her way to Koenma's office as well. "Oh, Yuusuke, I'm so glad that you're here!" she declared, running up and hugging him.

"I can see that," he said in surprise as she all but clung to him. "What's going on? Why are you so upset?"

"It's Koenma! He's been trying to hide it, but I can tell. He's been in horrible pain lately. I've tried everything I can think of to make the pain go away, but nothing seems to work," the hysterical girl exclaimed, nearly in tears.

Yuusuke shook his head. So, Koenma hadn't told her then. "I'll go talk to him. Maybe he'll feel a bit better," he said to himself, out loud.

"Yes, you try!" Botan said, startling him. Yuusuke grinned sheepishly, knowing that Koenma would feel better. He almost felt bad, after all Botan had done to try and help.

Walking into the office, Yuusuke saw that Koenma wasn't surprised to see him. In fact, the demi-God looked almost sad. "Botan, can I speak with Yuusuke privately for a moment? I want you to watch the door and make sure we aren't interrupted," was the first thing he said when they entered.

"Of course," Botan quickly said, bouncing over to the door and closing it firmly behind her.

Koenma looked at Yuusuke for a long moment, then transformed into his adult form. The two watched each other for a long moment before Koenma stood and walked around his desk. "I'd hoped that it wouldn't happen. That, perhaps, this particular ceremony was different. As I've never performed a bonding ceremony before, I didn't know for certain," he said.

"Why didn't you warn me?" Yuusuke demanded. He wasn't really angry. He'd already worked past that particular stage. More, he was frustrated that the situation had turned out as it had.

Koenma looked away. "I thought that, if you knew the risk, you would say no. I didn't want to take the chance that you would stop being my Reikai Tentai. And my friend," he said quietly.

Sighing, Yuusuke moved until they were only a foot apart. "So, what do we do now?" he questioned.

Koenma's eyes met his own, a peculiar light in them. "What else can we do?" he returned, then leaned forward and pressed their lips together.

Chapter 11

"So, basically, I just have to stay one night a week with him, and things will remain the same as they were before," Yuusuke finished.

Keiko was staring at him, and he wasn't sure if she was about to beat him senseless or burst into tears. It was always so hard to figure out what a girl was thinking. Especially Keiko, who could flash hot or cold within a matter of seconds. It was something he was willing to live with, although he wasn't about to think too deeply about it, but he didn't think it was something she could accept so easily. It had been hard for him, even know the questions were still circulating in his head in a dizzying manner. In the end, his loyalty to Koenma had won out. It was just a physical thing, after all.

"Why would you want to do something like that?" Keiko finally asked.

Yuusuke grimaced. Of course she would ask the biggest question of all first. Perhaps not thinking about was something he should of rethought before coming to see her. "It's... well, the ceremony turned out be a bit more than I thought. I don't really want to, but I have obligations. We've agreed to work things out as well as we can, to try and keep it from affecting our regular lives."

"Keep it from affecting you're regular life? But you're talking about sleeping with a man at regular intervals for the rest of your life! Why can't you just ignore it?" Keiko exclaimed.

"I don't know if you can understand what it's like. It can't be ignored. Days afterward, like today, the need is gone. I act and think normally. But it gets stronger, until it's like an obsession and all I can think about is him. I mean, I never would of considered something like this normally. We had the ceremony thinking it would be a one time thing, something we'd never mention, and it would fade in the background. I know it's strange and maybe it's because of the spell, but it doesn't bother me. I think I can keep my 'appointments' and still lead a normal life."

Keiko looked down at her lap, worrying her lip between her teeth. "I don't know if I can do this, Yuusuke. Sharing you with someone else would be so hard."

Yuusuke touched her face. "You're not really sharing me. I care about you, and that won't ever change."

"But what if it does?"

Yuusuke took a deep breath, then realized he couldn't answer. How could he know for sure that things would really stay the same? Ah, he knew this was a bad idea! He didn't want to keep things from Keiko, but he should of waited until he was more certain with himself before saying anything. It was forcing him to look into things he wasn't prepared to yet. He didn't want to think about his feelings changing. He didn't love Koenma. They were just close friends. He might not hate having to sleep with the guy on occasion, but there wasn't anything more to it! But he couldn't deny the feelings inside of him. There were changes going on, and he didn't know when they would end.

Keiko suddenly stood, jerking Yuusuke from his thoughts. "You're silence says a lot, Yuusuke," she said quietly. She turned to look at him, her expression angry. "Why can't you just do something to cancel the bond? You've signed your life away to someone else, just because you want to be a tentai! Why can't you cancel it, and be a regular person?"

"You know why I can't. Keiko, becoming a tentai was the first time I did something good with my life. I may be a crass jerk, but I'm not stupid. This could be the biggest achievement of my life. Besides that, Koenma needs me. What I do is important. Keeping humans safe from youkai is my job, and I can't just quit."

Keiko watched him for a long moment, her eyes shining. The tears didn't fall, but he still felt like an ass for causing them to begin. Keiko was an innocent victim in this. He hadn't meant to hurt her. Moving forward, Yuusuke wrapped his arms around her. "I don't know what's going to happen. But what is done is done, and it can't be reversed. Even if I wanted to, the bond ceremony is a permanent one. We'll just have to figure out how to get passed it."

"I don't know if I can," Keiko sniffled into his chest.

"We'll figure out a way."

Chapter 12

"I'll be sending you here. The three of them live in this cave, somewhere deep in the center," Koenma was saying.

He's actually kind of cute in his baby form, Yuusuke thought. With that squeaky little voice, he was so adorable, perched on top of some books so he could reach the view screen with his little pointer stick. He'd always thought chibi-Koenma was annoying. Why hadn't he noticed how cute the other was? Like a baby; Yuusuke just wanted to pinch his cheeks and hug him to death.

Well, maybe not to death. Because if he killed chibi-Koenma, adult Koenma went with him. And the adult form was definitely not better off dead. Yuusuke grinned a little, remembering the little Jr. symbol he'd teased and tickled until Koenma had pushed him off the bed in annoyance. It would be gone once Enma-daiho had passed away, and Koenma became the new Enma. The prince had been very determined to make sure Yuusuke knew that. Not that it really mattered. It was kind of cute, to know that Koenma was hundreds of years old, yet still a child. Really, he didn't seem much older than Yuusuke when he was in his true form. And he certainly kept himself in shape, which was odd with all the sweet treats he liked to devour.

A sudden sharp elbow in his side jerked his attention back to what was going on, and Yuusuke blinked a little. Kurama winked at him before turning his attention back to what Koenma was saying. Usually, Yuusuke would of hit him back, but he realized that he'd been drifting off. They were being briefed on a mission, and he needed to be paying attention.

"However, the scouts we've sent haven't been able to find them. We suspect it may be because they've already gotten a hold of the other things they would of needed," Koenma continued.

"If they know the correct spell, which seems very likely, they could already be in the Ningenkai," Botan added.

He didn't know why he was so distracted. Yuusuke frowned slightly at the thought. It had only been three days since their last... get together. Things had been going well. They kept their appointments once a week, and only saw each other for tentai business the rest of the time. Yuusuke had been able to do things just fine, without distractions, but it seemed to be getting more difficult now. For the last couple of weeks, he'd been noticing that his thoughts had been straying toward the prince more often. It was almost torture to go the full week.

He'd thought that the spell was getting stronger, but Koenma didn't seem to be suffering from the same problems. Right now, he was focused and calm, which Yuusuke certainly wasn't. There was no physical attraction to the child form, of course, but the emotional attraction was there, just as strong as it ever was. Maybe he was thinking about it too much? He wasn't exactly trying to -not- think about it. He would have to make a better effort at keeping his mind on what he was doing. Stray thoughts could be suppressed if he would get his act together.

"Yuusuke!"

Yuusuke started, then grimaced when he realized he'd been caught drifting away again. "Ah, I was listening, go ahead," he quickly said.

The other's gave him skeptical looks, but Koenma simply shook his head and continued. "The most likely places are highlighted on the map. I want you to check them out, see if you can find any signs. If they're there, make certain you call the others before continuing. The Mairs Trio is very skilled at taking down single opponents, even when they're out powered. With all of you together, they should be easy enough to take out. Especially if you separate them, because they are much weaker on their own."

A short while later, once they'd decided where each of them would go and supplied with rental communicators (Don't break them, because I don't want to have to pay for them! - Koenma), the four of them returned to the Ningenkai to begin the mission.

"Alright! See you guys soon," Yuusuke called, eager to get going. It was easiest to concentrate on fighting, because it took all of his attention to make certain he didn't get his head ripped off or something equally painful. He might of become a powerful fighter, but there was always an opponent out there that was just as strong.

Hiei flitted off without a word, Kuwabara cackling his way toward the bus stop. Yuusuke was about to turn and head toward his own locations, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. "I don't want to talk about it, Kurama," he stated.

"I can tell something's going on," Kurama replied.

Yuusuke tensed, then growled and turned around. Kurama wouldn't leave him alone until he told him. Yuusuke didn't really want to talk about it with anyone, but he realized he would have to say something eventually. It was affecting him too much not to.

"I don't know what's happening," he admitted with a sigh.

"Oh? You were so distracted during the meeting. You looked like you were a million miles away."

"Yeah, well, it's becoming harder to concentrate."

"Thinking about him?"

Yuusuke felt his cheeks go red, and he glared at the other. "Not for a second! I'm just a little distracted thinking about normal stuff!" he declared.

Kurama grinned at him, shaking his head slightly. "You don't have to deny it, Yuusuke. Especially to someone who knows you're lying. Besides, it's only natural. The bond is just helping you're emotions along."

"What are you talking about?" Yuusuke questioned.

Kurama grin softened into a slight smile, and he looked up at the trees. "The bonding doesn't work unless the real feelings are there, you know. In your situation, I think it's just helping things along, helping you realize those emotions."

"I don't love Koenma," Yuusuke stated firmly. "We're good friends, and allies. That's it."

"Sometimes the love for a friend can evolve into something more."

Yuusuke paused, studying his friend. He'd never really thought about his and Hiei's relationship. To be honest, he hadn't been able to figure out how the two could stand each other, they were so different in personality. Still, he couldn't deny that they'd always had a special relationship and Kuwabara and himself had never been part of. Yuusuke didn't know when it had become something more, but he could see the love the two had for each other. When it came to protecting each other, they would be willing to do anything. What would it be like, to be willing to die for someone?

Suddenly, Yuusuke realized he already knew. His loyalties to Koenma, to his friends and his mother, it meant more to him than anything. He would die for any of them, if it meant keeping them alive. Not that he would go down without a fight, but the sacrifice would be nothing if it meant keeping those he cared about alive. He loved them all, in different ways, and he couldn't deny that.

The only question left was, which way did he love Koenma?

Chapter 13

Things were changing, and she didn't know what to do about it.

Keiko sighed and looked at herself in her mirror, fidgeting with the bow of her uniform. Yuusuke was trying to pretend that nothing was different, but she wasn't stupid enough to believe it. He was doing his best to keep it hidden from her, to behave like he always had, but there were changes going on that couldn't be hidden from anyone.

She had feared it would happen. She loved Yuusuke, but he was pulling away from her. It had been almost two months since he'd come to her in order to let her know what was going on. Two months since he'd made the promise she knew he wouldn't be able to keep.

She liked Koenma, he was a nice person, but she hated him at the same time. She'd had girlish fantasies about their first time, what it would be like. She felt as though that dream had been ripped away from her, and was forced to remember that fact every week. Every week on the day that Yuusuke would return in the morning with that stupid little grin on his lips and dreamy look in his eyes. In all the time that they'd been dating, she'd never seen Yuusuke like that around her. He cared about her, protected her and enjoyed being with her, but whatever was behind his feelings for Koenma wasn't there in his feelings for her.

Sighing, Keiko took out her street clothing and began pulling off her uniform. It had been a long day at school, and Yuusuke had been absent because of his new mission. She hoped he completed it safely. She knew how good of a fighter he was, but she was still terrified that he would leave one day and not come back. He'd died on her once, and even though it had been over a year ago, she still remembered the anguish she'd felt.

Could she let him go again? She knew it was becoming too much for him. Yuusuke might of been fighting it, but that particular fight he was losing. She could see the desires coming over him only a few days after they'd been separated, the way he walked like he was in a daze, talking about Koenma almost every time he opened his mouth. It hurt, but she knew it was something that he couldn't control. He didn't want to hurt her.

But he did, and he would for as long as this continued. Keiko didn't want to admit it, but she would be better off ending their relationship. Not just for herself, but for Yuusuke too. It was hard on him, trying to be there for both of them. She knew he felt like it was a betrayal, like his mind was twisted around, split between two people. He'd told her so himself. There was no way he was going to terminate the bond, though. If they broke up, he wouldn't have to feel so bad. Maybe in the future he would decide retire from being a tentai, and they would have a second chance. Until then, she had to help make things easier for him.

Tomorrow, if he was finished the mission, he would come to school. She would speak to him then.

And end it.

Loyal to Me

Chapter 14

"I'm sorry," she whispered, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Yuusuke could only watch, a large part of him feeling numb. He didn't know what to do or say, and he told her such.

Keiko shook her head, still not meeting his eyes. "I thought I could handle it, and I can't. I feel bad, watching you fight to be with both of us. It's not fair to you, Yuusuke."

"Keiko," he said quietly, finally moving forward and wrapping his arms around her. "I wish I could say it wasn't like that."

She began crying harder, her hands clinging at his uniform jacket. "I know that it's best for the both of us. I just wish it didn't have to be this way! I love you! I loved you first! Why did you have to make that decision? I'll never understand..."

Yuusuke bit his lip and looked up at the sky. He had another decision to make, here and now. How could he just let their relationship fly out the window? How could he stand here and do nothing when the woman he cared about most cried in his arms? His feelings for Koenma, the bond they shared, was it as important as this? Had the man really come to mean so much to him that he would let Keiko go.

He knew that, if he decided to stay with Koenma, Keiko would be lost to him forever. If they managed to stay friends, it could never go past that again, no matter what happened in the future.

But his life with Koenma, as a Tentai... Was he willing to give that up either?

No matter which he choose, he would lose greatly. What it came right down to was what felt right for him? Which would be the greater sacrifice? Who could he not live without?

Yuusuke looked up at the ceiling absently, his mind clouded by troubling thoughts. He sighed and closed his eyes, wondering for the millionth time how he'd managed to get himself into this situation. He was still in a state of shock over what he'd done. Seeing the hurt and disappointment, that face would stay in his mind always. But he couldn't take back what he'd done. Decisions such as this were final, even if they caused pain.

"What's wrong? You look upset."

Glancing down, Yuusuke met Koenma's hazel eyes and couldn't help a small smile. The other man was curled up against him, using his chest as a pillow, and he was so handsome that Yuusuke's upset meant almost nothing for a moment.

"Everything and nothing," he replied, bringing his hand up to run his fingers through Koenma's soft hair.

Koenma frowned. "Are you still having trouble with us?" he asked.

"Always," Yuusuke said with a grimace. "As easily as my mind accepts it, there is still a part of me that remains in denial. Keiko broke up with me today. And as sad as I was, there was a big part of me that was relieved at the same time. I'm ashamed of myself for it. We've been together for so long, it doesn't seem fair for me to dismiss what we had so easily."

Koenma nodded slightly, looking away. "I'm sorry about the trouble I've caused you. You've gone above and beyond what most would in order to remain loyal to me. The sacrifices you've had to make, the decisions that you've made, it humbles me."

"Don't get all sappy on me," Yuusuke scolded gently. "I made the decisions of my own free will, and I'll have to live with them. But that doesn't mean I regret them."

Koenma nodded, sliding upward so that their lips met. Yuusuke's heart skipped a beat as it always did as he returned the kiss, his hand moving to cup the other man's face. His troubles seemed to vanish as warmth flooded through him.

The mouth shifted and Yuusuke moaned slightly as the lips traveled their cross his chin and down his throat. His breath came in shallow gasps as desire coursed through him, so strong that his body was shaking. "Koenma," he sighed, letting his hands trace over the other man's body.

"I love you," the prince said into his shoulder.

"I love you too," Yuusuke replied, only half-aware as he surrendered to the passion coursing through his body.


End file.
